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These articles were generously contributed by Marta & Barbara Reese.
Owen Reese arrived in Maracaibo, Venezuela, in 1929 to work in the accounting department of Lago Petroleum Corporation. He returned to the U.S. in 1936 to continue his education at St. Louis University. He met and married Rosalie Spalding, a registered nurse, and returned to Maracaibo by tanker, the "Esso Bolivar", in 1939. In 1943 Owen, Rosalie and two children, Barbara and David, were transferred to Caracas where Sam and Marta were later born. The six Reeses were transferred back to Maracaibo in 1946 and lived there until 1954 when they were transferred to Puerto La Cruz, later to San Joaquín and lastly to Tia Juana. Owen Reese took a medical retirement in July l960 and died from cancer in July 1961. Rosalie Reese, at age 92, continues to live a fairly active life in Austin, Texas. Barbara graduated from the University of Texas in Austin, married Victor McCrea, Jr., an attorney, and has three children and seven grandchildren. Vic died in 1999. Barbara works for the Art Institute of Dallas. David graduated from Culver Military Academy in Indiana and the University of Texas with a double degree in economics and history. He worked in Mexico City for two years before moving to Ohio where he met and married his wife, Sue. They have two married sons. David died from a heart attack in 1991. He was 50 years old. Sam also graduated from Culver Military Academy and attended the University of Texas. He recently retired from the Texas Highway Department after 30 years of service. He and his wife, Betty, have two sons. Marta attended Radford School in El Paso, Texas, and the University of Texas. She is divorced and has two daughters. Marta is a legal assistant at a Houston law firm. |
(Except where noted, these photographs
were all taken circa the 1940's.) |
| Lago/Creole
office building. |
Lago/Creole
office building. |
Much older photo
of the Lago/Creole office building, taken
in 1930. |
| Lago
terminal, probably taken from the high water tower in 1930. |
Creole
Club |
Creole
Club |
Christmas party
taken at the Creole Club. |
Creole
Club swimming pool. |
Creole
Club swimming pool. |
One of the
Creole camp houses. |
View down the
street in the Creole camp. |
Wonderful photo
of the Manager's House, evidentally prepared for an event. It was a
large & elegant home. |
Another, possibly
earlier photo of the Manager's House. |
Coromoto Hospital
when it was relatively new. |
Plaza República |
Plaza
República |
Street scene
of Carnaval in Maracaibo. |